Improvement in apparatus for cleaning cess-pools, vaults, privies



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

IVILLIAM G. MCGARTI-IY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANlNG CESS-POOLS, VAULTS, PRIVIES. &c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 104,866, dated J une 28', 1870.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. MUGAR- THY, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Cleaning Cess- Iools, Privy-Vaults, and the like; and I hereby declare that the following is a' full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists of an improvement in that class of apparatus used for cleaning vaults, 82e., by which all offensive matter is forced or drawn up from the cess-pool through pipes into a close receiving-tank, by means of a vacuum previously createdtherein, mechanically, or by the introduction and condensation of steam.

Heretofore, in the various apparatus used for this purpose, and especially those wherein the expulsion of the atmospheric air from the tank has been effected by steam, great difficulty has been experienced in preventing its return through the valves and cocks the moment the pressure of steam is taken off, or as soon as condensation begins. Another great inconvenience experienced in the use of the old apparatus is the continual choking of the pipes while at work by large particles of solid matter, which can only be removed by withdrawing the pipes from the cess-pool or detaching them from the tank.

In the apparatus as constructed by me these difficulties have been met and almost wholly overcome, at least so far as to make the cleaning of the pipes, in case of choking', a comparatively easy mat-ter, the withdrawal of the pipes from the well or cess-pool at such times being altogether unnecessary, while, by properly-constructed cocks and valves, the return of atmospheric air to the tank, when exhausted, is prevented, and a more perfect vacuum maintained than by the old method of closing the passages leading to and from the tank.

To enable others to understand, make, and use my improved apparatus, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation by reference to the annexed drawing, and in Which- Figure l represents a side elevation of my apparatus; Fig. 2, a side view of the receiv ing-tank, partly in section. Fig. 3 represents a sectional view of the upper end of the large vertical pipe and part of the horizontal pipe, with some of their attachments. Fig. 4 represents an enlarged vertical section of one of the steam supplying cocks; Fig. 5, vertical section of exhaust-nozzle.

All the figures are lettered, and similar letters denote like parts in the several views.

I make a perfectly air-tight tank, A, of convenient size and suitable shape, and mount the same upon a truck or wagon, B, by which it may be readily transported from one place to another. At one end of this tank, and communicating with its interior, are placed two small eocks,c and a, which are provided', in addition to the ordinary faucetkey, each with a metallic cap, c, so constructed as to hold an elastic packing, f, which, when the caps are screwed on, is forced up to and closes the otherwise open end of the cocks. From one of these cocks, a, a small pipe, S, extends back into the tank and leads upward to or near its top. At the opposite end of the tank is placed another (much larger) cock or valve, C, and to a short strong pipe, X, projecting therefrom, is attached a long iiexible pipe, D. The other end of this pipe D is connected with and opens into a stout cylindrical vessel, Gr, in the middle of which is placed a perforated plate or grate, T, while just above this grate, but oli the opposite side of the vessel, extends a short pipe, V, which connects it to the head H of a large vertical pipe, K. This vessel is also provided with a tightly-fitting lid, WV, heldin place by an arched clamp, p, furnished with a pinch-screw, N, to force and keep down the lid.

The head Il of the large vertical pipe K is closed by a screw-cap, J, while the lower end of the pipe is .considerably enlarged to form a bell-mouth, L.

Connected with the horizontal pipe D, at a point between the tank and safety-vessel Gr, is a short branch pipe, r, to which is fitted an exhaust or force pump, F, provided with a piston, valves, Ste., as is usual in such pumps. i

The pipe D is also furnished with valves m on, one on each side of the short pipe that connects it with the pump.

On top of the tank A are two short nozzles, each consisting of a small pipe, screwed or otherwise fastened to and communicating with the interior of the tank. One of these nozzles o o is closed with a cap, g, provided with an elastic packing, z, precisely like those heretotion-pipe D, the tank is taken on the wagon B to the immediate neighborhood of a steamboiler, and a connection made therewith by means of a suitable pipe, steam being introduced from the boiler through the cock c at one end of the tank in suiicient quantities to expel all atmospheric air, which, as the steam enters, rushes to the top of the tank, and through the exhaust-pipe s and nozzles o o, opened for that purpose. As soon as all the air is forced out the cocks c and a, together with the nozzles o and o, are closed, their caps being screwed down perfectly tight, and the steam in the tank suffered to condense, by which avacuum, more or less perfect, is formed, which generally takes place during the time that will necessarily elapse in its transit to the place of filling. On its arrival at this place the suction-pipe D is attached to the valve C, when the bell-mouthL of the pipe K is inserted into the contents of the cess-pool. The air is then exhausted from these pipes by means of the pump F, the check-valves on m preventing its return thereto on the downward stroke of the piston. As soon as this is accomplished the large valve C is opened, when the pressure of the atmosphere on the contents of the cess-pool will force them up the pipe K, the bell-mouth L at its lower end greatly facilitatin g their entrance. As the liquid matter rises in the vertical pipe K it passes over through the short pipe V into the cylindrical vessel G, through the interstices of the grate T, and eventually through the suctionpipe D tothe interior of the tank A, till the latter is nearly full, or until a perfect equilibrium is restored.

Although the contents of cess-pools are generally more or less of a iiuid character, still they are very often found mixed with solid or semi-solid substances, that, when drawn up, tend to choke the pipe, and thus greatly intertere with the workin g of the apparatus. For the expulsion of these bodies, should they enter and lodge in the vertical pipe K, the cap J at its top is to be unscrewed and taken ofi", leavi ngthe pipe open at that end through which openinga pole, I), provided with a screw, It, at one end, may be introduced, and by which such substances as tend to choke the pipe may be withrawn or pushed out, and that without removing the pipe from the cess-pool. But should any of these substances pass through the vertical pipe K that would be likely to interfere with the proper working of the suctionpipe D, they will be caught by the grate l as they pass into the cylindrical vessel G, from whence they may be removed by unscrcwing and taking off its lid, as occasion may require. As soon as the tank is filled, the valve .C is to be closed, the suction-pipe D taken off, and the tank with its contents taken to the place of discharge, where the large valve C is opened and steam admitted, as before, through the small cock c at the opposite end of the tank, which materially assists in expelling the fluid contents. W'hen this is done the large valve C is to be closed, and the same operation of forming a vacuum in the tank, illing and discharging it, is to be repeated as often asmay be necessary to clean the cesspool, or until its contents are drawn out.

I do not consider it absolutely necessary to employ the cylindrical vessel G and exhaustpump F, as I have found by experiment that in most cases it will be sufficient to attach the iiexible pipe D to the vertical pipe K, and I hence I reserve to myself the right to said vessel and pump, or not, as may be deemed advisable.

The object of exhausting the air from thc top of the tank is, that thereby a more perfect vacuum can be obtained than it' the air were exhausted from the bottom, because when the steam enters the tank the air is naturally forced upward, and hence passes out more readily from the top than it can from the bot tom ofthe tank.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

' l. The tank A, provided with cocks cn, having caps el and elastic packing j', pipe S, cock C, and nozzles o o, having caps or screws and elastic packing, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The pipe K, provided with bellshaped mouth L at its lower end, and at its upper end with head 1I and cap J, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

\VM. C. MCCARTIIY.

lVi tncsses:

.TosIAH XV. ELLs, J. B. XVHALEY. 

